We're sure that each and every one of us has dreamt of living the life of a King and Queen. With different movies tackling it, we are given an idea of the opulent lives of royalties. The royal way of life isn't all about money and huge real estate properties because those who are in these positions of power have to represent their country and are also burdened with numerous obligations (golf courses do not play themselves you know...). It's actually quite like being a celebrity because everyone is watching your every move. Here are some juicy secrets we have gathered about the Royal Family that we're sure will leave you in awe.
Charles Is Not Really Harry's Father?
Even if Princess Diana has been long gone, it seems like controversies just really come to anything or anyone connected to her. One controversial rumor is that Prince Harry's biological father is not Prince Charles but James Hewitt. Hewitt is known as the guy who had an affair with Princess Diana while she was married to Prince Charles. Even if Harry and James share quite the resemblance, the rumors were proven to be false. We're sure tabloids just love bringing back the rumors just so they can earn money through the false information they share.
Prince Charles Dated Princess Diana's Sister First
Before dating Diana, Prince Charles reportedly dated her older sister Sarah (now Lady Sarah McCorquodale). This rumored relationship was reportedly brief and not much is known about it. Sarah struggled with anorexia nervosa in her twenties and rumor has it that Prince Charles called it quits after she revealed details about their relationship as well as her health issues.
Prince Harry The Racist?
Prince Harry has always been a constant target for the media and it isn't just because of his overly good looks. He once put his reputation on the line in 2009, after a leaked tape of him saying racial slurs to his army platoon surfaced. His offensive language and racist terms clearly made a lot of people angry. This wasn't only bad for him but it was bad for the whole Royal family. He later took credit for his actions and apologized publicly, but the leaked video was already spread throughout the entire world. We hope he was able to learn his lesson after this whole scandal.
Prince Harry at a Pool Party
Revealing photos of Prince Harry scandalized the world but then again, he is not a stranger to booze (perhaps cigarettes as well?) as he had always been a party lover. In 2012, Prince Harry was photographed in Las Vegas partying by the pool rather wildly. He was surrounded by women and his bodyguard apparently had fun, too.
Prince Of The Nazis
When you're a part of the Royal family, anything and everything you do is being watched and people manage to spot any and every detail of whatever you are doing or even wearing. Prince Harry attended a costume party back in 2005 and his costume of choice was a Nazi. This was a very controversial move for a British royal and photos of him in the costume were spread across the tabloids. He was only 20 years old at that time and he later issued a public apology for his insensitive choices. Maybe he should just stick to an angel or devil costume next time, right?
The Famous Cherry Brandy Story
Prince Charles became a subject of debate that involved cherry brandy. Namely, when the Prince was 14 years old, he ordered a cherry brandy at a pub while he was on a school trip. Little did he know that a journalist was seated next to him and he heard what he ordered. Apparently, it wasn't the first time the Prince drank this alcoholic beverage.
Princess Margaret & Her Long List Of Men
The Queen's sister, the late Princess Margaret, was quite the rebel in the family. When she was only 15 years old, she already was a fan of smoking and alcohol. When it came to boys, she was also making more than a few questionable choices. She was known for marrying Antony Armstrong-Jones, a photographer, but it was also known that she had multiple affairs. One affair was with their gardener who was way younger than she was, and another affair was with Roddy Llewellyn. Her liaisons were soon discovered, so by 1978, she and Antony had gotten a divorce.
The Supposed Princess Isabella
Some think that Kate and Prince William had such a perfect relationship, but what you may not have known was that it wasn't originally Kate who was supposed to get that engagement ring and wear that wedding dress. Prince William called off his relationship with Kate and later pursued and proposed to Isabella Calthorpe who is an aristocrat. She said no, and while he was sad and broken-hearted, Kate was there to comfort him. William saw how much Kate cared for him and this was when he chose to spend the rest of his life with her.
Diana's Suicidal Ways
If you do not know about it yet, Prince Charles and Princess Diana had a very bad marriage. Diana had poor mental health for she was known to be dealing with depression. She was so depressed during their marriage that when she got pregnant, she intentionally threw herself down a flight of stairs; this was during the third month of her pregnancy with Prince William. It's good that this didn't have any adverse effects on the health of Prince William. But this was not her only suicidal act. She also admitted to slitting her wrists with razor blades.
A Princess-Murderer Love Story
Socialite and philanthropist, Princess Beatrice, is the Queen's granddaughter. When it comes to claiming the throne, she is seventh in line. She must have needed a matchmaker because she seems to make the wrong choices in terms of whom to date. Back in 2006, when she was 17 years old, she dated Paolo Liuzzo, an American playboy. Before they got together, Paolo actually got arrested for killing someone! Paolo beat Jonathan Duchatellier to death after the latter called him out for disrespecting women at a certain party. Paolo must have had a very good criminal defense attorney for he was able to do so many things (like dating a princess) even while he was on probation.
Plastic Surgery Blackmail
All the women from the Royal family are beautiful, so no one would expect that they would need any plastic surgery whatsoever. Their reputation was put on the line once when a group of hackers claimed that they found a lot of dirt against the Royal family after hacking the database of the London Bridge Plastic Surgery clinic. The clinic provides services to many well-known clients, and this is what caught the attention of these hackers. The hacker group has threatened to leak many photos, so we hope that the Royal family hires the best investigators and lawyers to take the hacking group down.
The Duchess Of York & Her Insider Deal
Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, was married to Prince Andrew until the two decided to get a divorce. She had raised quite the scandal once when she got money in exchange for access to Prince Andrew. She was supposed to get around $700K if only she wasn't set up. A fake businessman was hired to catch her red-handed as she leaked much information about the finances of the Royal family. She claimed that she was really close to the Queen and that she never asked a single cent of her. Well, we guess that like the businessman, her friendship with the Queen was also fake.
Diana's Death—Accident or Murder?
As we mentioned earlier, Princess Diana's life was full of scandals and controversies until her death. When she and Prince Charles got a divorce, she found love again with millionaire businessman Dodi Fayed. Sadly, they weren't able to take their relationship any further because they were both involved in a tragic car accident. Even if the place where the accident happened had 10 CCTVs, no footage of what had transpired ever surfaced. This later raised a lot of questions and theories that her death was a pre-planned murder. Imagine the sum of money that attorneys could earn if they get to prove that the Princess' death was a homicide.
How To Get Away With Murder
Diana and Dodi's deaths were among the most controversial deaths ever and not everyone really believed that it was just an accident. There was a forensic report which revealed that the Black Mercedes which Diana and Dodi were riding in at the time of the accident had white paint chips traces. British photographer Jamie Anderson apparently was the owner of the said car that left the white marks on the Mercedes. He was said to have disappeared from the country but after several months, his dead body was found in a local forest. We wonder if the Queen made an investment in covering up the truth if ever the "accident" was really planned.
Party Hard Girl
There is no way to go through school without attending at least a few parties and getting drunk. It is an essential part of preserving your mental health in college, and even royals do it. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, also had her fair share of partying while she was getting her education, though the Royal family doesn't want the world to know about this. While she can't be seen going in and out of a nightclub these days, she was certainly pictured a lot doing so in the past.
The Duchess Is a Shopping Addict
It's not a secret that the Royal family spends way too much money, but it seems that Kate really enjoys lavish purchases. In fact, everyone has noticed that she has the habit of spending the royal dollars recklessly. Her fashionable attire is always on point, and she certainly is used to that because she was rich before she married Prince William. Still, many find this habit to be outrageous and even disgusting.
When The Queen Takes The Last Bite
In the Royal family, there is a protocol that everyone must follow - and that includes certain dining table rules. For example, when the Queen takes her last bite, everyone must stop eating, even if you are still hungry. Sounds like a strict diet, right?
Princess Margaret's Highly Publicized Divorce
Princess Margaret was considered to be somewhat controversial. Her divorce from her husband in 1978 was highly publicized and earned her negative publicity, especially with talks about her alleged involvements with several men. Her 18-year marriage with Anthony Armstrong-Jones who was later named Earl of Snowdon was filled with parties and scandalous behavior. In 1976, the couple publicly acknowledged that their marriage was broken and they decided to separate - something no royal couple has ever done then.
Another Racist Controversy of Princess Michael Of Kent
Last year, Princess Michael of Kent upset the world when she appeared for the Queen's Christmas lunch wearing a "blackamoor" brooch which is offensive to black people. The lunch was attended by Prince Harry's then-future bride, Meghan Markle. The Princess later apologized, explaining that the brooch was a gift. Apparently, this wasn't the first time her behavior was offensive...
The Man Behind The Princess' Eating Disorder
Princess Diana had a pretty controversial life until the time of her death. Aside from the tragic car accident that caused her death, she was also making headlines because of her said eating disorder. Some secret interview tapes were released and they later revealed how Princess Diana said that it was Prince Charles himself who was responsible for her bulimia. When Charles made a negative comment about her getting chubby, she became so affected that it triggered the development of her eating disorder. We guess even the Royals can be greatly affected by insecurities no matter how rich or beautiful they are.
The Michael Fagan Incident
The Michael Fagan incident occurred in 1982 when a British man named Michael Fagan broke into the Buckingham Palace and into Queen Elizabeth's room. This was one of the worst royal security breaches of the time and according to the man, this was his second attempt to break into the room. The man was subjected to psychiatric evaluation so charges were later dropped, but he had to spend the next six months in a psychiatric hospital.
Recorded Phone Calls to Princess Diana
The Sun newspaper revealed the existence of a transcript of a recorded phone call between the Princess of Wales and James Gilbey who was allegedly her lover. During the calls, James affectionately calls Princess Diana "Squidgy" and so the entire affair was referred to as "Squidgygate." It is believed that this accelerated the separation of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Reportedly, the late Princess had been battling bouts of depression around the time when her marriage to Prince Charles was falling apart.
Fire at the Windsor Castle
In 1992, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle in the Queen's Private Chapel. The fire was started by an ignited curtain and it burned for about nine hours, damaging a great part of the property. The restoration cost about $60 million which led to the Queen paying tax on her income.
The Publication of Topless Photo of Sophie Rhys-Jones
Less than a month before her wedding, The Sun published a photo of topless Sophie Rhys-Jones with her colleague Chris Tarrant, in 1999. The editor of the newspaper, David Yelland, later apologized for running the photo promising never to publish another photo of her again. The Buckingham Palace condemned the publication of the photograph and Sophie was under a great deal of anxiety, naturally.
A Royal Night Out
During VE day celebrations, Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret were allowed to go out and join common people on the streets. This was the only time that the Queen had gone out incognito, but then again, it was the biggest party in the history. This story inspired a movie called A Royal Night Out. Did they go to a local pub and drank alcohol? We'll never know.
Prince Andrew Accused Of Violating an Underage Girl
In 2015, Prince Andrew, the fifth in line to the British throne, was accused of repeatedly violating a 17-year old girl. His friend, Jeffrey Epstein, found the girl for him and instructed her to do whatever the Prince wanted, according to sources. The girl alleged in a US court document that she was forced to do things against her will. In 2008, Epstein was convicted for soliciting underage girls. Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 but their divorce papers got finalized ten years later.
The Wives of King Henry VIII
King Henry Tudor was involved with many women but he either resorted to divorce or beheaded them. Henry's first wife was Catherine of Aragon who was previously married to his brother Arthur who died. Then there was Anne Boleyn who gave birth to Elizabeth I and was beheaded later. His next wife was Jane Seymour who died after giving birth to Edward VI. He later married Anne of Cleves and had the marriage annulled before marrying Catherine Howard (also beheaded). He finally married Catherine Parr who outlived him.
Prince Andrew Dates Koo Stark
Prince Andrew was involved in yet another controversial matter when he dated adult film star Koo Stark. Stark is an American and the two started dating in 1981. According to sources, it was a serious affair which lasted for about two years. They split under the pressure caused by the both the Palace and the media.
Prince Harry Accused of Cheating in College
Sarah Forsyth, one of Prince Harry's former teachers at Eton College, claimed that he cheated on an exam which helped him get into the elite college. She alleged that she was shocked to have been asked to prepare text to go with some of Harry's work. She got fired and claimed that her case was an act of unfair dismissal, which eventually led her to receive some £45K in damages.
Princess Diana Messed Up Her Husband's Name?
The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana took place in 1981 in a lavish ceremony. Imagine how nervous she must have been when she messed up the name of her husband. Instead of referring to him as "Charles Philip Arthur George," she swapped the first two names. Well, we shouldn't blame her because she was a blushing bride with all the jitters underneath her lovely appearance, and the anxiety of having all eyes on you must have been a lot to take.
Prince William Caught Dancing With a Model
He might not strike you as a party lover, but the older Prince also enjoys dancing and having fun, and unfortunately for him, smartphones and the paparazzi are everywhere. Prince William was at the center of media attention when he was spotted dancing with Australian model Sophie Taylor during a skiing trip to Switzerland. In a video footage published by newspapers, the Prince can be seen hitting the dance floor by himself.
The Infamous "Camila-Gate"
After Prince Charles and Princess Diana got a divorce in 1992, both of them started to date other people. A tape of a conversation between Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker-Bowles, was leaked and it was quite the "dirty talk." In what was referred to as "Camilla-gate," it was heard that Charles told Camilla that he wanted to be her "Tampax." This was another thing that had placed the Royal family's reputation on the line. They hired the best investigator money could buy, and it was later discovered that someone had bugged their phone lines.
The Original Royal Racist
Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, who is Queen Elizabeth’s husband, was also known for having used racial slurs. He has quite the thick skin because he does not care if people learn about the comments he makes. He made some racist comments in China back in the '80s thinking that he would sound funny. You'd think he'd learn from his mistakes, but it turns out he's still a racist to this day. Maybe Prince Harry takes after him. Prince Philip has entered retirement and stepped down from his royal duties since he is already at the old age of 96.
Adventures With A Child Violator
Anything and everything connected to the Royal family can raise quite the controversy—even who they choose to hang out with. It was discovered that Prince Andrew was close friends with Jeffrey Epstein who is not only an American financier but is also someone who has been convicted of being in the flesh trade. Jeffrey was arrested for being the solicitor for physical exploitation of underage girls. He must have had a good defense attorney because he just served just 13 months in jail instead of 18 months. These days, it is said that the Prince has cut ties with him already.
The Infamous Uncle
Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has always been a sweet and beautiful person, so you won't really expect her to bring drama into the Royal family. Her uncle is Gary Goldsmith who has millions in his bank account, thanks to his work as a property developer. Gary made quite the controversy back in 2009 when it was discovered that he offered cocaine and high-class "escorts" to some journalists. He was even proud in saying that William and Kate spend the holidays in his Ibiza Villa. Let's hope Uncle Gary goes to drug rehab for he seems to have a drug addiction.
The Rehab Scare
Prince Harry isn't different from any other person for he also had a wild time during his younger years. Harry was man enough to admit to Prince Charles that he was smoking marijuana and drinking lots of alcohol. It became quite an addiction and Prince Charles knew he had to do something about it. Harry was taken by his dad to the Featherstone Lodge Rehabilitation center to see what could happen if his addiction gets severe. Without any drug rehab treatment, Harry changed for the better and is a more responsible person these days.
The Wedding Detour
Women look forward to the day they get to put on a wedding dress and get married, but no one would ever wish to be left alone at the altar. Prince Philip actually left Queen Elizabeth II waiting on the altar as he said he couldn't make it to the wedding on time. It was later discovered that on the day of his wedding, he was with Daphne du Maurier who was a famous writer. We're not sure if anything scandalous happened or if he was just talking to her as a friend, but we're sure he was able to find a way out of it since he and the Queen never got a divorce and are, in fact, celebrating their 70th year of being married.
Royal Family Not Legitimate Royals?
When King Richard III's 500-year-old remains were found, scientists quickly began experimenting with it. When they tested out samples of his DNA, the scientists discovered that it didn't match anyone's DNA from the current Royal family. One reason could be that someone who was given the throne wasn't a direct heir to King Richard The Third. The Queen's attorneys worked hard to keep all the info away from the public but somehow, it was still leaked by unknown sources. The Queen never gave a public statement about the issue.
The Secret Prince
Every single member of the Royal family has received so much attention and fame that they can even be called celebrities. But if you thought you knew all of the members of the Royal family, then think again. Prince John was a member of the Royal family who had epilepsy and was kept from being seen by the public. Whenever he would be hit by sunlight, he would get seizures so he had to live his life inside closed doors. It was almost as if he was a patient of a drug rehab facility that was not allowed to go outside. We wish the Royal family treated him well even if he had to live his life away from the world.
The Toe Fixation
The paparazzi always love catching known names doing the oddest of things because this is what will get a lot of people's attention (and money). After her divorce, photos of Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and Texan millionaire John Bryan surfaced, and it might give you quite a laugh. In the photograph, Bryan seemed to be sucking Ferguson's toe. Bryan later issued a statement that he was just kissing her toes. Even if we don't know if their foot fixation is real or not, this whole scandal still added to the list of embarrassing things that had happened in the Royal family.
Kate's Nose Is Fake?
So many people around the world look up to Kate and admire her for she is really a very nice and pleasant woman. Young girls want to dress just like her because of her good sense of fashion. But behind all the praises, people might have overlooked one tiny detail. An unknown source claims that Kate already had some plastic surgery procedures done. Rumors have it that she has undergone two nose jobs/rhinoplasty procedures to supposedly achieve the nose she had always dreamed of. Kate must have a lot of money in her bank account because reports say her nose jobs had cost her around $150K.
Royals Against Mental Health Issues
The Royal family is drowning in countless secrets and people are caught by surprise everytime a new secret gets revealed. Because mental illnesses and rehab were not that understood during the '40s, the Royals took any mental health issue as an embarrassment. Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon were the first cousins of the Queen who had mental health issues. They were kept in a mental institution during the '40s and were robbed of a normal life ever since. No one from the Royal family ever came to pay a visit to the sisters. All this was revealed in the 2011 British documentary, The Queen's Hidden Cousins.
Princess In Court
Even if you're a part of the Royal family, this doesn't assure you that you won't ever get arrested. Princess Anne was the first ever member of the Royal family to have ever had a run-in with the law. It was in 2002 when one of her English bull terriers, Dotty, assaulted two kids. We don't know why the Princess didn't do anything about her dogs since they already had a violent history. She had to pay numerous fines and had to make her Dogs go to training. We're sure she got a very good felony lawyer because she avoided jail time and a death sentence for Dotty.
The Love Child That Broke The Marriage
Any wedding that happens within the Royal family always receives a lot of attention and is always televised. One of these weddings was that of Princess Anne and Lieutenant Mark Phillips in 1973. During their marriage, Phillips had an affair with a teacher in New Zealand and he later got her pregnant. They tried to work things out, but Princess Anne eventually filed for a divorce. Princess Anne knew she wanted to have a happy ending so she later remarried but this time, it was a private wedding ceremony with no media coverage whatsoever.
Murderer Among The Royals?
It is believed by Royal historians that there was a murderer among the Royals. They say that after Edward IV passed away, Richard III either murdered his two nephews or had them murdered. He apparently locked the two young boys away in a tower and the exact cause of their death remains a mystery. It was in 1674 when they discovered the dead bodies of the boys in the tower. Different investigators and criminal lawyers offered to investigate the boys' urns, but the Queen apparently didn't allow it. Can this be yet another murder trying to be covered?
Incest Between Royals
Incest is something that everyone finds gross, but for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, this wasn't an issue. We're not sure if it was because of the year they were in, but the two showed great love for each other despite the fact they were first cousins. He even got the Queen pregnant a total of nine times! We wonder how they managed to tell their kids that they were related and how the information had affected them. If this happened now, they would receive a lot of hate on Social Media and we doubt it will be allowed to happen in the first place.
Elizabeth I Had A Phobia Of Marriage
One would think that when you are a Queen, you will always long for finding a King. But Elizabeth had different thoughts when it came to marriage. She never really wanted to wear a wedding dress, walk down the aisle, and tie the knot with anybody, as she saw marriage as an act connected to death. She really had no history with men as she was even dubbed as the "virgin queen." She was probably too hooked on doing her job as Queen that she thought she was just fine on her own. Her father, Henry VIII, might have also been one of the key factors as to why she had such beliefs.
Meghan's Father's No-Show at the Wedding
As soon as the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was announced, the media got busy right away in finding every bit of information about the bride-to-be, her family included. As the Royal Wedding drew near, people were expecting Thomas Markle Sr. to walk Meghan down the aisle. But what happened next was some real-life drama - the father is thrilled with the betrothal, gets prepared for the big day, then doesn't show up in the end. And let's not forget the dashing Prince to the rescue (Prince Charles). Now, whether or not Thomas Markle got cold feet because he didn't want to cause further embarrassment for his supposed "staged" photos, two facts remain: he did require serious medical treatment and he regrets missing his daughter's wedding.
What Happens When Prince Philip Passes?
When the sad moment comes, here’s how it’s going down. Normally, the public is warned when a Royal is on the deathbed. However, if it happens suddenly, overnight, it’ll be announced at 8 a.m. The news will be followed by an eight-day-long National period of mourning, leading to the funeral. The Queen is expected to follow a 30-day mourning period, distanced from her duties, while the rest of the Royals will be expected to wear black clothes for this period. Though he’s entitled to a State Funeral, it’s believed that Prince Philip will have a private military funeral with his friends and family. The line of succession won’t be affected though.
Prince George's Preferences & Addiction
Duke of Kent, Prince George, was a British monarch who was quite controversial because of some of his life choices. He was rumored to have a romantic interest in both men and women. This was quite big news to hear since the LGBT community wasn't really that much understood during the 1940s. He was also said to have developed an addiction to cocaine and heroin. Back in 1942, he was involved in a plane crash that ended his life. Again, his death was questioned by many and thought to be another "planned" murder.
Good Pals With The Nazis
King Edward VIII was known for having a love affair with Wallis Simpson who was an American socialite. Simpson had gone through a divorce twice by the time she and the King had met. Edward loved her so much that he stepped down from his throne just so he could marry her. The couple was later rumored to have strong connections to the Nazis before and during World War II. Investigators also discovered that the couple met Adolf Hitler and Simpson had a romantic history with a Nazi foreign minister. Since the Nazis caused unimaginable death and destruction during the war, we're sure the Royal family wants this connection to remain under-reported, though it's too late for that.